In the end Ash still couldn’t take all of the weights, but he managed with half of them. Forty iron plates on the upper half and another sixty on the bottom. With the added weight Ash had a hard time running and tired quickly, but Zelan demanded that was the only way to increase his stats without leveling at the moment.
Shina started to run beside him and in the few moments before Zelan caught up with them, she would pass him a canteen of water. Her eyes always looked at Ash with warmth, but whenever she looked at Zelan, there was nothing but contempt in her gaze.
As the sun began to drop below the horizon, Zelan called them to a stop and had Ash prepare to fight. “Thieves up ahead,” He said in a muffled voice, only loud enough for Ash and Shina to hear.
“Cutie, do you happen to have a weapon stored on that body of yours?” Zelan asked while looking Shina over again.
“No, master did not gift me with a weapon,” Shina said ruefully.
“What kind of weapon do you prefer?”
“If master were to get me a pair of dirks I would be grateful,” Shina said, hanging onto Ash’s arm.
Zelan pulled two long dirks out of his pack with nine inch blades and held them hilt out to Shina but she ignored him. “Ash take these,” Zelan said sighing.
Ash took the two blades then held them out to Shina who smiled happily. “Thank you master,” Shina said while hugging his arm tightly. “I will use them to keep master safe.”
“Just keep yourself safe,” Ash said in a tense voice. “I don’t want to have to explain to Yuki that something happened to you.”
Shina didn’t say anything, but the look in her eyes was fierce. Now with Shina equipped with weapons, they continued down the road. When they reached a small bridge, three men dressed in rugged mismatched clothes blocked their path. “Good sirs and miss, due to an increase in the cost of security, we must ask that you pay a small fee in order to continue,” one of the men said. Unlike the other men, the man talking had a slightly more dignified air though he was still dressed in mismatched sets of armor.
“I didn’t know Duchess Hawkwing had imposed a tax,” Zelan said while scratching his head. “Ash, you know the duchess well, did you hear anything about a road tax.”
“Emelia didn’t mention anything about it, but she doesn’t talk much about that kind of thing with me,” Ash replied a little confused.
“Seems like we have a jester,” the man said sighing. “Just drop your coin purses and move along.
“Ash kill them,” Zelan said as if uninterested.
Kicking his feet off the ground, Ash charged at the three men. From a distance Ash heard the twang of bows and felt pain ripple through his body as something struck his shoulder, but he didn’t slow. The three men didn’t just stand still waiting for him. Two of the men moved to flank him while one of them stood ready to face his straight on.
With the weights added to his body, Ash couldn’t move fast, but his blows had added strength. Ash started with an overhand blow which the man in front of him brought his own sword up to block. As the two swords met sparks flared and large chips flew from both swords. With the weight of the blow the other man was knocked back and stumbled his eyes wide in shock.
Ash wanted to finish the man off, but one of the men trying to flank him charged, forcing him to dodge. While he was occupied, Shina had taken on the other man who was moving to his back. Ash didn’t get to watch her as his attention was filled with the man to his front, but what he did see surprised him. Shina struck with speed and accuracy with a look of intense hate on her face.
With one companion struggling to stand and the other being detained by Shina, the one in front of Shina back away while holding his sword of in front. “Look just leave. There is no reason anyone has to die.”
“Sorry, my master said to kill,” Ash said through clinched teeth as the arrow lodged in his shoulder sent waves of pain through his left arm. “In the next life, maybe try an honest job,” Ash said, charging the man. Even with his slowed speed, Ash was still more than a match for untrained thief and within moments the man was lying face down on the ground with his lifeblood flowing out.
By the time Ash had dealt with his opponent, the other man had gotten to his feet, but instead of trying to face Ash or Shina he turned and tried to escape in a limping run. Ash thought about letting him go, but Shina rushed past and jumped on the man’s back while burying both her dirks in the man’s back.
Ash was surprised and couldn’t take his eyes off Shina who stood up and looked around before running to Ash’s side. “Master are you ok?” She asked in a worried voice.
Ash checked his HP and found that he had only lost thirty points, but it was still slowly dropping. “I will be fine Ash said as he tried to pull the arrow from his shoulder but the pain caused him to drop to his knees.”
“You should have been paying attention,” Zelan said walking over and ripping the arrow out. Ash let out a loud gasp as the arrow tore through his flesh but Zelan didn’t seem to notice. “Hum, seems like it was poisoned. We better get somewhere to rest before you collapse.”
Ash didn’t think much of it, but then he noticed that his MP and Stamina were decreasing at an alarming rate. Moving off the road, Shina forced Ash to sit on the ground while she prepared the camp. Ash started to complain, but his focus started to waver and he found it increasingly hard to keep his train of thought as his MP neared zero.
“Master, I have readied a place for you to rest,” Shina said lifting Ash to his feet.
“Huh…Yea,” Ash mumbled as he tried to walk, only to stumble. He didn’t fall as Shina braced herself and held his weight with her small form. Turning his head he noticed that her eyes were slightly teary and full of worry.
“Sir Zelan said master will be fine so don’t worry,” Shina said in a soft and soothing voice.
After being laid down on his bedroll Shina Removed Ash’s clothing. He tried to resist, but neither his body nor his mind was in any state to fight back. Once the heavy clothes were gone, Shina started to dress his wound while humming a soothing tune.
Ash’s MP had disappeared fast, but his stamina was decreasing at a slower rate, but once it reached one he found it hard to keep his eyes open even though his body felt as if he was freezing.
Ash closed his eyes while his teeth chattered. After what seemed like hours of laying there freezing and unable to sleep, something warm enveloped him.
Early the next morning Ash’s eyes slowly opened. His body was stiff and sore, but he didn’t feel much discomfort. Checking his status screen he found that half his MP had returned while a third of stamina bar was filled.
[You have been poisoned with “Thief’s Dearth.” Stamina and MP will be drained for 1 hour: hours remaining 0. Stamina and MP regeneration will be reduced by 50% for 24 hours: hours remaining 17.]
“Seventeen more hours,” Ash cursed mentally. A thin arm slid down Ash’s bare chest as he sat up. Looking over, Ash found Shina lying next to him her body completely exposed. Suddenly he remembered the night before. He had been cold and shivering then filled with warmth. Ash figured that Shina had used her body to keep him warm.
Brushing a stray strand of hair from Shina’s face, Ash carefully covered Shina’s body while trying to remove himself without waking her. Just as Ash was removing his foot from the thick covers, Shina’s eyes opened. “Master,” Shina said while jumping to her feet making Ash’s face turn bright red as her body was fully exposed. “Are you ok?” Shina asked, her voice laced with worry.
“I am fine now, please put on some clothes,” Ash begged as he turned his head.
Shina didn’t give off her normal seductive charm, instead she quickly dressed then checked on Ash again. “Master must be more careful,” She said as she checked his bandage.
“Its fine,” Ash said trying to escape from Shina’s grip.
“It is not fine,” Shina said, looking up at him with her large brown eyes. “What would happen to Yuki and Me if something happened to yo
u?” Shina asked in a motherly tone. “In the future master has to be more careful.”
“I will,” Ash said trying not to laugh.
“Muuuu,” Shina stamped her foot while pouting as Ash held back his laughter.
“Seeing a beautiful young lady fawning over you makes me want to beat you,” Zelan said from the side. “Boy you’re too young for a woman like this. She will eat you up and spit you out whole, why don’t you give her to your master?”
“You might be right,” Ash said looking at Shina. “She does seem to be a bit dangerous.”
“Right, so it would be safer if I…Ommph.”
Zelan started to speak but Shina moved fast aiming a kick right between Zelan’s legs. Being well trained Zelan dodged the attack, but his eyes still widened in surprise. “Master, if you think about giving me away, I will make you regret it,” Shina said, turning back and bringing her face within an inch of his.
“I was joking,” Ash said, holding his hands up in defeat.
“We better get going,” Zelan said, shaking his head and laughing. “Today you can leave off the weighted clothes. I think it would do more damage than good at the moment.”
Shina packed up the camp without letting Ash do a single thing. She even went so far as to lecture him when he tried to roll up his own bedroll. As they were ready to depart, Shina picked up both her pack and Ash’s. “Master should rest today,” Shina said in a firm tone when Ash protested.
Though he felt bad having a woman carry his things, Ash relented since he was still under the effects of the Thief’s Dearth.
Without the weighted clothes, Ash’s Stamina slowly increased as the day passed, but it did so very slowly. Shina often asked Ash if he was ok and forced him to drink so much water Ash was sure that if he listened he could hear it slush around inside his stomach.
As night fell, the effects of the poison wore off and Ash suddenly felt much better. Shina still refused to give him his pack so Ash ordered her. Even after the order, she protested and was punished by her slave mark, but even then she refused until Ash took back the order.
When the sun set, Shina tried to sleep next to Ash again, but he wouldn’t back down and made her sleep at least ten feet away. When she saw that he wouldn’t budge, she moved away with her ears drooping.
Once the morning came, Ash was once again made to wear the weighted clothes and return to his training. Shina complained but both Zelan and Ash ignored her protests. She pouted for most of the morning but once Ash began to tire she was happy to dote on him while smiling.
3-7
The trip back to Tellian seemed to go much faster than the trip to Talam. Ash was exhausted physically from the constant training and mentally from Shina’s constant mothering and seduction.
Most days were spent with him running and doing katas and every few nights he was made to fight against beasts. Thanks to that he had gained another point in strength and he was close to reaching his next level. Ash was also finding it easier to fight, but whenever he started to get confident Zelan would show him how much farther he had to go. Thanks to the gambler’s game, he had gotten a huge boost in stats, but it didn’t increase his skill with a sword. Only practice and experience could do that.
Zelan had told him over and over how no one could join the Seven Swords Guild, they were trained by birth and he would have to face such a swordsmen. Zelan wanted to complete his task within the year and wouldn’t allow Ash to take it at a relaxed pace. Shina often protested Zelan’s treatment of Ash, but not very strongly.
The closer they had gotten to Tellian, the more nervous Shina had seemed. She would often bring up Yuki and ask the same things over and over. At the same time Zelan continued to tease and flirt with Shina. Ash knew that Zelan would be what most women in his world would call a player. When they left Tellian, he would often disappear at night only to return smelling of perfume. Zelan also flirted with the maid’s at the manor though none of them seemed to like him, he was undaunted in his pursuits and it was the same with Shina. To Ash, it looked more as if Zelan enjoyed being rebuffed as he often laughed whenever Shina tried to slap him.
“Ash, since it has been a long time, I think you will have to give your master a bit of coin,” Zelan said as he looked toward the city with an odd gleam in his eyes. Zelan didn’t ask for coin often, in fact he did it far less than Ash thought he would. Every five to seven days Zelan would ask for a few silver coins and always returned the next morning reeking of alcohol. Emelia had protested his actions and offered to give him access to her wine storage, but Zelan had just laughed. “Cheap ale and good stories are the lifeblood of a real man,” was his response.
Thanks to the fight with the assassins, thieves, and monsters, the trip had not been unprofitable. If he didn’t count the cost of Shina’s clothing. Checking his inventory, Ash pulled out three silver coins and tossed them to Zelan. “That’s it,” Ash said before Zelan could protest for more.
“Then I will see you in the morning for training,” Zelan said before running toward the gates of the city at full speed.
“Master, why do you spend your time with such a man?” Shina asked, looking at the departing Zelan with a face full of disgust.
“He may be a bit shabby, but his skills with the sword are great,” Ash said smiling.
“He does seem skilled,” Shina admitted. “Just don’t become like him. I don’t want a master who chases after any woman he sees, though I would be happy if master chased after me a bit more.”
“Shina,” Ash said as he tried to find the right words.
“I know master doesn’t see me like that,” She said as her ears dropped low on her head. “I am not to masters liking, but I won’t give up.”
“It’s not that…I,” Ash replied, his chest hurting as he saw the sad look in Shina’s eyes. “Women,” Ash said, shaking his head and rubbing Shina’s head. The second Ash’s hand touched her head, her ears perked up and she gave a light giggle. “Are you really Yuki’s mother?” Ash asked once again, amazed at how childish Shina acted at times.
“Ara…Does master not believe me or is master worried?” Shina asked in a half teasing voice. “Don’t worry, Yuki’s father died when she was just a cub,” though she said this while trying to smile, Ash could see a faint sparkle of pain in her eyes.
“No-no nothing like that.” Ash said feeling bad. “I was just thinking you don’t look or act old enough to be a mother.”
“Hump,” Shina pulled away from Ash and danced backward. “I am a proper mother. It is not my fault that we age different than humans. Think of it this way, when you are forty I will still look much the same, though my hair might turn a little grey.”
Shaking his head Ash couldn’t help but imagine it. Him, wrinkled with a balding head while standing next to Shina and Yuki who both still looked like young women in their prime. “No reason to stand around here waiting. Your daughter is waiting on you,” Ash said as he continued walking toward the city.
Shina rushed up to him and grabbed his arm, though the smile on her face showed a hint of worry. Ash couldn’t even imagine what was going through her heart at the moment. Looking at the sky, the sun was already more than two thirds of the way through its arc in the sky, so Yuki should be at the manor or returning to it. He wasn’t sure what day it was. Unlike back in his other world there were seven days a week and four weeks in a month. The only thing that was the same was that there were twelve months in a year, but days and months had different names and he still hadn’t gotten completely used to them.
Ash tried to run through the days of the week, trying to figure out if today was a free day from school for Yuki. Zuntik, Santik, Montik, Dinstik, Mitvokh, Donershtik, Fraytik, Shabbes. Counting from when he left if he was right today should be Mitvokh and he thought it was a rest day, but was unsure. Just for practice to see if he still remembered Ash went through the names of the months; Ianuali, Fepuali, Mati, Apelila, Meuni, Iuni, Iulai, Aokuso, Sepetema, Oketopa, Novema, Tesemo. Right now it
was Mitvokh the 16th of Iuni 13564.
As he and Shina passed through the gates, one of the guards gave a slight bow then rushed toward the direction of the manor on horseback. From the gate to the manor took about half an hour at a regular pace, but Ash took it a bit slower suspecting that Emelia was readying to welcome him and Shina.
As his hands rested on the large gate to the inner garden of the manor, Ash felt at east. He hadn’t been gone that long, but his heart had felt strangely at ease once the manor had come into sight. If he had been asked a few days before if he ever had a place he considered home, he would have quickly said no…But now, he didn’t think he would be so sure of that answer.
As soon as they walked through the gate, Ash could see the main door of the manor. In front of the door two maids as well as Emelia and Yuki waited for them. Emelia stood still looking at him with a cool gaze while Yuki rushed toward him. When she reached about half the distance between where they were, Yuki stopped then looked at Shina who clung to Ash’s arm then back to Ash. After a few moments she jumped into her mother’s arms and both girls began to cry.
After a few moments, Yuki separated from her mother then wrapped her arms around Ash’s waist. “Master,” Yuki said, rubbing her head against his stomach.
Ash patted Yuki’s head then started to walk toward Emelia while Shina grabbed his arm again. Emelia eyes narrowed and darkened as she looked at Shina. “Emelia, I missed you,” Ash said, pulling out the bag of coins. “I didn’t have to spend any of the gold.” Ash added sheepishly.
Emelia took the coins and gave him a warm smile. “I am glad everything worked out. You didn’t run into any trouble did you?”
“Nothing too bad…But it seems you were right about the Earl,” Ash admitted.
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